While Jack Barto’s leadership will be missed at New Hanover Regional Medical Center when he retires next year, officials at the region’s largest hospital system say they have confidence in his successor, John Gizdic.

Gizdic is the handpicked choice of the NHRMC Board of Trustees, whose members did not feel a need to conduct an outside search to replace Barto, 62, who announced plans this month to retire by June 30, 2017.

Gizdic, 46, currently serves as chief operating officer of NHRMC and will gradually assume the responsibilities of Barto, who has served as president and CEO for the past 12 years.

Barto and Gizdic “will work together during a transition period to ensure a seamless leadership change,” a news release stated.

On July 1, Gizdic will assume the title of president in addition to his current duties. Barto will remain CEO until his retirement.

“In one sense, the transition began in concept several years ago, when the Board of Trustees and senior leadership agreed on a philosophy of succession planning, and Mr. Barto began preparing Mr. Gizdic for the role,” said Scott Whisnant, NHRMC administrator for community relations. “With the transition now official, it has begun, as Mr. Barto and Mr. Gizdic are working side-by-side on leadership issues to ensure continuity and a consistent process for staff and physicians.”

An executive search for outside candidates was briefly considered but discarded quickly by the hospital trustees. It’s an indication of the confidence members have in Gizdic’s suitability to the increased responsibilities of the hospital system’s CEO and president, Whisnant said.

“The board, in a unanimous vote, decided to approve John Gizdic as Jack Barto’s successor. The board cited John’s experience, talents and role in leading many of the hospital’s recent advancements,” he said. “There was discussion of an executive search, but the board decided the right candidate was already available.”

Barto currently earns $769,153 a year; Gizdic’s annual salary as COO is $500,000, according to hospital officials. 

The transition plan for the top job at NHRMC is consistent with a philosophy of succession planning established by the medical center, the news release said.

Barto began at NHRMC in February 2004 after 20 years in health care leadership. He said then he intended to retire in Wilmington, and his announcement confirms those intentions, the release stated.

Under Barto’s leadership, the medical center completed numerous projects, such as the NHRMC Betty H. Cameron Women’s & Children’s Hospital, the NHRMC Surgical Pavilion, patient tower renovations, a physician network of more than 230 providers, conversion to electronic medical records, NHRMC ED-North and the current renovation of both the main campus’s emergency department and Zimmer Cancer Center, the release stated. Barto also built a new culture at NHRMC – one centered on improving patient experience and valuing employees, according to the release.

“Mr. Barto has been in health care leadership for more than 30 years. He stated a desire to spend more time with his wife, Mary, and his grandchildren,” including a fourth grandchild who will arrive in July, Whisnant said. “He looks forward to not having every day scheduled in advance, but rather setting his own agenda, which will include more time with family, travel and golf.”

Trustees chairman Dick McGraw said in the announcement that the board was “grateful to Jack Barto for his leadership and stewardship of NHRMC.”

“During his 12-year tour of duty,” McGraw said, “the hospital has produced more improvement in patient care and more growth than any time in its history.”

-Reporter Jenny Callison contributed to this story.